Now that we live in San Pedro, I’ve been wandering down to LA Harbor for the occasional photo shoot. It’s one of the busiest ports for container ships in the world and just over the Vincent Thomas Bridge.

The scale of the place is amazing. And since they seem to work 24×7, the place is always lit up. So it’s great fun to work on night photography — once you figure out how to get around the warren of roads and detours.

A small section of the harbor facility:

And from Harbor Blvd. in San Pedro:

Harbor Facility and Vincent Thomas Bridge

It’s impossible to get close to any of the harbor areas. But that offers creative opportunities.

Crane, Seaside Road

Crane, Seaside Road

The fact of night and a lit up environment gives the most everyday machinery a kind of mythic quality.

Train Engine, Nimitz Road

Crane, Nimitz Road

These loading facilities are all securely guarded and fenced off. They don’t let anyone use the bathroom  if you have a camera. But the main roads are public property. A few images from a pull-off on Navy Way.

Shot from Navy Way, 23 sec exposure

Shot from Navy Way, 40 sec exposure

Cranes and Container Ship, shot from Navy Way